In Ukraine, raid groups of the newly created security department of the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" will begin inspections of branches in several regions.
This will provide qualitatively new mechanisms for combating corruption, abuse, and theft on the way to the reform of the forest sector, the head of the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine, Yuriy Bolokhovets, reported on Facebook.
He emphasized that only traditional official inspections and audits cannot ensure effective control. Centralized, systematic, analytical and operational work is required, which will make the most common shadow schemes impossible.
"The primary task of the security department is to create an up-to-date "map" of the main corruption risks and propose a countermeasure strategy. For this, 25 raid groups are being formed, which will soon begin checking the activities of the branches of the State Enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" in several regions," said Bolokhovets.
He noted that the groups will collect and verify information, analyze it and systematize it.
Raid groups will record:
- inconsistency of the areas allocated for cutting;
- attempts to "play" with grade and volume;
- fictitious forest pathology examinations;
- the presence of a conflict of interests (for example, when the wood is sold to the contractor who harvests it);
- participation in the organization of illegal felling by forest guards;
- manipulations with the formation of lots for the exchange;
- placement of illegal objects on the territory of the branch;
- use of equipment not for its intended purpose, etc.
Bolokhovets emphasized that in case of violations of the law, the materials will be immediately forwarded to law enforcement agencies.
He also emphasized that based on the results of the work of the raiding brigades, a comprehensive strategy for combating corruption risks should be proposed, which will cover all areas of the state's work, namely:
- forest protection;
- cooperation with contractors;
- logistics and sales of products;
- purchases, etc.
Bolokhovets noted that personnel decisions will be made on the basis of the collected materials, because currently all heads of state-owned enterprises are on a probationary period.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution, which provides for the reform of the forest industry, in particular, the unification of 158 state forestry farms into a single enterprise "Forests of Ukraine".
Previously, EcoPolitic analyzed how in practice to implement the global forest reform.
